Technical Field
The present invention relates to an object detection apparatus for detecting an object around a vehicle carrying the apparatus.
Related Art
Conventionally, a known object detection apparatus, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2014-89077, includes at least one ranging sensor, such as an ultrasonic sensor or the like, mounted in a vehicle to detect an object, such as a pedestrian, an obstacle or the like, around the vehicle, and based on detection results, performs various types of control, such as actuation of a braking device and notification to a driver, for improving vehicle driving safety.
The object detection apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2014-89077 includes a plurality of (for example, two) ranging sensors mounted in the vehicle to calculate a widthwise position of the object based on the principle of triangulation, where the widthwise position of the object refers to a position of the object in a widthwise or cross vehicle direction perpendicular to a traveling direction of the vehicle. If the widthwise position of the object is within the vehicle width, it is determined that the object has been detected. If the widthwise position of the object is not within the vehicle width, it is determined that the object has not been detected. Performing such a determination process can prevent erroneously detecting an object at a position where the object is actually less likely to interact with or contact the vehicle as an object that is likely to interact with the vehicle.
In the object detection apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2014-89077, a probe wave is transmitted from one of the two ranging sensors and then reflected waves are received at the two ranging sensors. The widthwise position of the object is calculated based on reflection wave information including a distance between each ranging sensor and the object and a distance between the two ranging sensors. However, the reflection of the ultrasound wave may vary with various factors, such as object shapes, the number of objects present in an environment around the vehicle, and environments about the vehicle. Therefore, an object may be erroneously detected in a location where no object actually exists.
In consideration of the foregoing, exemplary embodiments of the present invention are directed to providing an object detection apparatus capable of preventing erroneous detection of an object using ranging sensors.